Shanghai (ZXZC)-It has been heatedly discussed that GWM and BMW would team up to build a JV recently. But up to now, they seemed to have made no further progress in the cooperation. According to the people close to BMW, in MINI, there is no one to push its JV project with GWM. He also added that Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Group Region China is said to return Germany and will not join the talks on its significant determinations. It's really difficult to push the JV project inside BMW. If the news turns out to be true, GWM will lose its chance to build up a JV with the foreign company.

Interestingly, media had reported that GWM and BMW were in talks on establishing a JV company, and said that the JV location would be confirmed in the end of this year. Later, another report claimed that BMW would like to outsource the local production of MINI brand to GWM, and the news was confirmed by a senior executive from BMW. GMW had once released a statement, saying that they haven't entered into any legal documents for establishment of a joint venture in China. But on Feb. 21, 2017, the both parties had entered into an agreement for discussion and evaluation on the feasibility of co-operating to produce vehicles under MINI brand, and on Apr. 18, they also entered into a confidential agreement for the feasibility of research and development of battery electric vehicles and traditional power vehicles. Now, it is really bewildered that the project is suspended after they having been negotiating the JV project for one year and a half.  

According to a statement of BMW, they confirmed the local production of MINI brand, but never mentioned about GWM. Frankly speaking, it's no good for GWM if the JV project is ceased. Cooperating with MINI may help GWM to make up its backward in NEV technologies and models.